Bones Is Where The Heart Is
by atlageek
Summary: It's been a year since they've seen each other, Now Booth and Bones are both on their way home to D.C. Bones knows now that she want's more than anything to be with Booth, but is it too late? B&B forever!
1. Chapter 1

The Maluku islands were tiny green dots on a sea of blue, quickly shrinking away from sight as the plane flew away towards home again. A twinge of sadness hung in the air, for up until today, they had been home for the past year.

Warm memories came too thought as the mind wandered over that space of time. Memories of the discoveries, the excitement of possible breakthrough, and the collaboration of Anthropologies' greatest minds raced through her head. The islands represented the early part of her life and career, every aspect of it reminded her of why she had started in her profession and passion in the beginning.

But along with that sadness of goodbye was the joy of hello to another chapter in her life. Her present. Back to the bustle of the city, the noise of civilization, the pure satisfaction she got only after a day of work. Back to her office, her interns, and the lab. Back to her friends and colleagues. Back to finding truth and catching bad guys. Back to the strong relationship, companionship and trust that could only be found in her Partnership. Back to the coffee cart, the diner, the Founding Fathers and Wong Fu's. Back to beer and pie. Back to warm brown eyes, bright smiles, strong arms, determination for justice and fierce loyalty and friendship. Back to love. Back to….Booth. Back Home.

Brennan turned away from the window. She reached out at a passing flight attendant, "May I please have a glass of water?" she asked.

"Of course Dr. Brennan, here." The flight attendant smiled brightly.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. If you need anything else just let me know."

"I will."

She took a sip of the cold refreshing water, set the glass aside and leaned back into her first class seat. She closed her eyes, wondering what her partner was doing right now.

Booth blearily glanced over at his alarm clock, squinting at the angry red letters screaming _0430 hours_ at him. Time to get up…..

"_BEEP BEEP BEEP!"_

His hand flashed out from under the covers and whacked the off button. With a groan he pushed himself up into a sitting position and started to stretch, feeling better and better with each _pop! _from his joints. He let out a loud, long yawn, threw back the blankets and tossed his legs over the side of the bed. He stretched out his legs and rotated his ankles; the sound of more pops met his ears. He rolled his neck a couple times and stretched his arms and back again until he was satisfied.

Finally he launched himself to his feet and stumbled to his dresser, quickly pulling on a shirt, cargo pants and his military jacket. Then he padded down the hallway to the mess hall to grab some breakfast and coffee. As he waited in line for his turn he couldn't help but look around and only see the uniforms. By the end of his thirteen hour flight today he would be back in D.C with Parker, his friends and he would be back at work for the FBI, catching bad guys and solving murders with his partner, best friend and the woman he loved… Bones.

Just at the mere thought of her name, all his thoughts went straight to her. Fond memories, memorable cases, and the way her eyes light when she's working and when she saw him. The touch of her arm in his on the way to the diner, the feel of her hand on his shoulder when he's stressed, her head resting on his chest when she's crying or scared, the feel of her in his arms in one of their "guy" hugs. He missed everything about her. Even the squints, who he had to admit, had grown on him and where now his closest group of friends.

One of the things he missed the most about her was their banter and the times when he gets to explain things to her that she doesn't understand and that he knows all about. He wondered if she missed him as much as he had missed her. He couldn't wait to meet her at the coffee cart. Only thirteen more hours…

"Next!"

The sound of the food server's voice jarred Booth back to the mess hall. He took his plate and handed it to the server, a fellow solider. Porridge was slopped onto his plate with an over ripped banana and watered down, luke warm coffee poured into his foam cup. He sighed to himself and put on a fake smile. _In just a few hours I'll be drinking real quality coffee and breakfast with Bones._ He left the line and wandered over to the tables to find a place to sit and eat. As he paced through isle upon isle of soldiers chowing down on their food his thoughts returned to the life he had spent for a year now.

Some of them were only boys. _Men._ He corrected himself, after all they had been through they were men now, not the boys fresh out of high school or college they had been when they arrived. While he was going home and had a great life and job to return to tomorrow, these guys would still be active soldiers tomorrow. They won't be civilians in regular clothes instead of uniforms. Going out with friends to get drinks and going to movies and sport games with their kids. They won't have the luxury of seeing their loved ones in person or to sleep in their own beds. No, they would have to remain in this hell hole till their tour is over. And some would never make it home.

"Attention ladies and gentleman, this is your pilot speaking. We are approaching the Cairo Airport. We should be landing in ten minutes. Please turn off all cellular or wireless devices and return your seats to the upright position. Buckle your seat belts and remain seated for the duration of the flight. It's a beautiful day, sunny skies and 75 degrees; we hope you enjoy your stay in Cairo and thank you for choosing Horizon Airlines." The sound of the pilot's voice jolted Brennan awake. She pulled off her compliment sleeping mask and blanket and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

She folded her blanket up and put it and the sleeping mask in a pile on top of her complimentary pillow. As flight attendants walked down the aisles collecting the bundles Brennan held hers up as one passed by and pulled her seat back up into the vertical position and fastened her seat belt.

Around her other first class passengers were doing the same, turning off lap tops, storing away carry-on luggage and ending business calls. Beyond the divider curtain she could hear people in coach getting their kids to settle down and get back in their seats.

She heard the sound of children laughing, whining, crying and arguing. For a moment her heart ached for the possibility of one day doing the same with a child of her own. And of Booth's if things were to go the way she wanted.

She shook her head, dispelling the thoughts of a world where she and Booth were together and had a child. _Be rational Temperance. _She chided herself. _Booth most likely moved on now after you turned him down before you left. He may even have someone new in his life and has forgotten all about you in 'that' way. _Brennan sighed, although she was excited to see him, her heart couldn't help but stop in fear that he really had moved on and no longer cared for her as she did for him. _If it turns out he is with someone new, I don't know how long I could bare to not have him all to myself after a year of being apart, especially after I finally stopped denying the thing that Angela, Cam and Sweets have been telling me all along; I love him. I love Booth._


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Ideally I want to update as often as possible but this week is finals week and the first few weeks of summer are always busy so I apologize if there are a few days between updates, but I promise that I will try my best! Keep reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoy!_

Booth couldn't keep the smile off his face as he packed up his belongings in his duffle bag. In one thirteen hour plane ride he'd be with Bones again at the coffee cart. Even though this was an extremely happy thought, he couldn't help but fear that the distance and time between them might make it impossible to return to their normal partnership, especially after his declaration of love to her on the steps of Hoover.

_What if I've scared her off? What if she was lying when she said they could still be partners and friends? _Booth couldn't bear the thought of losing Bones in any way. _If the fact that I have deeper feelings for her makes her consider terminating our partnership and friendship then I'll just have to be content as her friend only. _He sighed, he wanted more than anything to be able to love her, hold her in his arms and wake up to her beside him every morning for the rest of his life. _But if just being friends is the only way she'll stay with me than that's what I'll be. Just friends. _The thought ripped through his heart. _How can I only be just friends with the woman I love?_

He angrily shoved the rest of his clothes into his duffel bag. He could feel the tears welling up but he roughly brushed them away. _Come on Seeley, man up. Pull yourself together. If you can't be strong through this than neither will she and you'll lose her forever. _Anger and sadness was quickly replaced by determination. He would be strong for the both of them. He would get them through this, just like always.

Booth zipped up his duffel bag and swung it over his shoulders and across his back. He reached out and adjusted the blankets and pillow on his bed then walked to the door way. He took a deep breathe, closed the door and walked out of there, not looking back.

He excited the base's main building and strode over to transport where a military vehicle was waiting to take them to the military terminal were they'd board the plane and be flown out to the nearest secure airport were they would change planes, each going in the direction of their home. Besides himself, twenty other soldiers were returning home, nine of which were rangers like Booth. Some were on leave, some leaving for family emergencies, some leaving with medical problems or injuries and some like himself were going home for good and would never return, if they could help it.

Booth often wondered whether the soldiers leaving for home ever wanted to come back. He knew some grew to live for the job, hell some even liked it. He personally never had thought he'd have ever returned, now that he had and had had to leave his family, work friends and Bones behind, knew that he would never return again willingly. He was more than content with his job with the FBI. He was saving lives, not ending them. Protecting the innocent and locking up the bad guys, all in a day's work.

He couldn't wait to get home and start solving more murders and working with the squints, Cam and Bones again. Looking back at the beginning of his career he would have never thought that he'd be close friends with squints, let alone falling in love with one. Booth laughed, if anyone had told him five years ago that he would one day be best friends with a squint squad and was in love with his partner the leader of the squints he would have told them that they were crazy.

Booth got in line with the other soldiers, waiting to load into the transport vehicle. Since he was a Sargent Major and had been there to train new recruits Booth was moved toward the front of the line. Out of the corners of his eyes he observed the men around him and wondered what they were going home to. Being in the army wasn't always good to people, some returned severely wounded or disabled, others were tormented by the things they had seen and done. Most were able to shift back into society as a civilian pretty easily; they got jobs, made families and lived good long lives. But too many were left shell shocked and unable to keep a steady job and trust people long enough to have a family.

For the thousandth time Booth thanked God that he had his job with the FBI, his son Parker and his friends at the Jeffersonian. _I don't know what I'd do without them. _A grin spread across his face as he pictured hugging his son again, seeing the squints excited and happy faces upon his return, using a gun to save lives; not end them and meeting Bones at the coffee cart and taking her into his arms after an entire year apart.

He jolted back to his surroundings as the transport vehicle entered through the base's front gates and pulled up in front of them. One by one they loaded into the huge Humvee. As they all strapped into their seats and situated their things the soldiers talked happily about returning home, showing pictures of their girls or kids and sharing fond memories of their families or their time as a civilian. Even though their stories were all different, they all shared one thing in common; they were all ready to return home.

_Thirteen more hours! _Booth thought happily to himself. The solider sitting next to him, Private Sanders turned to Booth.

"What about you Sargent Major Seeley Booth? Are you ready to go home?"

"Hell yeah Sanders, I've been ready to go home a long time now."

Sanders smiled thinking that Booth meant the last couple weeks like he himself. Sanders had been anxious the last month, excited to go home to his wife and newborn daughter.

_I've been ready to go home since the moment I said good bye to Bones at the Dulles International Airport one year ago. I've been ready since the minuet she decided to leave and I agreed to come here. _Booth sighed. _Thirteen more hours._


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you for all your support. This is the first time I've shared anything fictional that I've written to anyone outside my family and you guys are giving me the courage to continue to do so! I appreciate all the reviews; keep them coming! I hope you guys liked chapter two and I'm sorry if you wanted to hear more on Brennan, but I want to show a little more insight on Booth's life and thoughts than they do in the show. Hope you enjoy chapter three!**

Brennan sat drinking a glass of wine and nibbling on a particularly fluffy and buttery crescent in the ornately decorated French lounge at the Cairo International Airport as she impatiently waited for her rental car to arrive. Her flight to D.C had been delayed until five p.m. the next day. She was going to spend the night at a nearby hotel in Cairo. Then she would spend the day visiting the pyramids of Giza.

She was fascinated by the Ancient Egyptian's tradition of building pyramids to house the mummies of the Pharaoh's and their wives. It also intrigued her that the Egyptians believed that a soul could take possessions with them in the afterlife. Since she was strictly scientific she thought it was ridiculous that the Pharaoh would have entire rooms for their treasure as well as entire ships buried in chambers near the pyramid to travel to the next world in.

Brennan smiled as a memory came to mind of when she had explained her fascination in these ridiculous beliefs with Booth;

"_The Ancient Egyptians believed that their Pharaohs became gods in the afterlife so the constructed temples to the gods and pyramids for themselves and the things they believed they would need to rule in the next world. They even had numerous servants seal themselves inside the tomb so that they could serve them in the afterlife!" Brennan enlightened Booth as they were driving in his SUV to the crime scene._

"_Well Bones, let's just say there's a reason why their beliefs died out." Booth smirked, thinking he had ended what could have become a heated argument about religion; they really need to concentrate on the case. There was a serial killer running around out there and bodies were piling up fast. They needed to put all their concentration and efforts on this case. They couldn't afford to bicker and argue._

"_But Booth, I don't see how that's any different than the myth that Moses parted the Red Sea or that a magical burning bush told him how to convince the Pharaoh to release all the Jews from Egypt." Brennan persisted; exasperated that Booth couldn't see what was right in front of him._

_Booth sighed; as much as he loved Bones he hated it when she lashed out at his religion and beliefs. "First off, they're not myths, they're stories in the Bible, you know the Holy Book? Second of all it wasn't a 'magical burning bush' it was God speaking to him and telling Moses his destiny to free the Jews from Egypt." He was getting pissed off now; this was the third time this week she had made fun of his religion. Maybe it is time we go to counseling with Gordon, Gordon._

Brennan laughed at herself at how determined she had been to tear down Booth's religion and prove to him it was all just a myth. She remembered how mad she had been at him when he had made her attend counseling with him and Gordon, Gordon, she smiled as she realized she had used Booth's ridiculous nickname for the shrink. But he had helped fix their problem, and now she tried harder to respect Booth's and others beliefs and to not lash out at them every time something deep down is bothering her.

_Buuuzzzz. _Brennan jumped as her phone vibrated, bringing her out of the past, announcing the arrival of an incoming text message from the car rental counter. Her rental car had arrived and the keys and papers were waiting for her. She quickly downed the rest of her wine, threw her garbage into a nearby waste bin, picked up her luggage and hurried off to pick up the keys and drive to the hotel. She was looking forward to a good night's sleep and her exciting day at the pyramids tomorrow.

"BEEP BEEP BEEP!"

_Uuuuuuhhhhhh… _Brennan moaned. She lifted her head up and glared at the alarm clock. 7:30 glared back at her. She sighed and reached out to hit the off button before the alarm went off again. She slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Eyes still closed she grabbed the hotel phone and dialed.

"Room service."

"Yes, this is Dr. Brennan."

"Good morning Dr. Brennan. How may I help you?"

"Good morning. Can I have a pot of coffee brought to my room?"

"Of course Dr. Brennan, right away. Would you care for cream and sugar as well?"

"No thank you, black is fine."

"If that is all then I will send someone up right away."

"Thank you."

Brennan hung up the phone and finally opened her eyes, scanning the suite around her. The right hand wall was completely made of glass. Through it you could enjoy a beautiful view of the city. Cairo was a beautiful city, consisting of ancient and new buildings and structures. From the Hilton Hotel Tower to the ancient and magnificent University, it was truly a sight to see.

In not too long a soft knock sounded on the door. "Come in!" Brennan called.

The room service maid opened the door and quickly walked in to the room pushing a cart holding a silver serving tray. She pulled the cart up alongside Brennan's bed and lifted the lid of the tray, revealing a silver coffee pot with steam floating out of the spout. She set pot and tray on the bed side table and produced a tea cup from inside the cart.

"Will you be wanting anything else Dr. Brennan?"

"Yes, please reserve a seat for me downstairs in the restaurant. I will be coming down for breakfast before I leave in a half an hour." Brennan replied as she poured herself a cup of the steaming and wonderfully smelling coffee.

"Right away Dr. Brennan!" The maid smiled and left the suite, quietly closing the door behind her.

Brennan took a sip of her coffee and closed her eyes, savoring the delicious taste as her mind and body jolted awake as soon as the caffeine entered her system.

Four cups of coffee later Brennan got out of bed and got ready for the day. She wore a white button up shirt, blue capris and a pair of hiking boots. She had put her up in a ponytail and only wore a bare minimum amount of makeup.

Now she was finishing packing and loading everything back into her rental car so she could drive straight to the airport after her day trip to the Giza pyramids. When everything was loaded into the car she would stop by the hotel restaurant for a delicious breakfast of Belgium waffles with fresh strawberries and orange juice.

The sun shone brightly over the desert, making the sand sparkle and mirages hang over the horizon. As it was midday, the sun hung high in the sky, casting hardly any shadows or shed to shelter in. The beating down heat was held back by parries of cool breezes. Falcons soared through the sky and camels walked over dunes.

Rising above the desert and the nearby city of Giza stood the Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. They were messages from the past reminding the modern world of their magnificence and importance. Like two worlds existing side by side.

_Booth would have said it's like magic, these two eras existing in the same place and time. And I would counter; anthropologically speaking cultures build these monuments so that they will be remembered throughout time and history. In a way it ensures their immortality. _Brennan thought as she drove towards the pyramids.

_If Booth was here he would say "But don't you get that feeling that this place is magical Bones?" _She laughed and then imagined how she would explain to him that "magical" feeling was just chemicals in the brain reacting to the awe of being in a place of such historical importance, ancient age and massive size. He would then go on to argue that if she thought it was special and was excited to see it and was in awe of experiencing it then it had to be magic. She would laugh and then finally give in to his childish grin and excitement.

Brennan sighed, she missed him so much. Soon she would be having these conversations and arguments with Booth in person and not just in her mind. After this one last plane ride she would be at that coffee cart, in his arms and maybe, be telling him how she really feels.

**AN: Please review and let me know if you think I should continue writing about Brennan at the pyramids or write about Booth's plane ride. I'm sorry that it's been awhile since an update, I'm working at a kid's camp this week and my second graders are the cutest things in the world! I hope B&B's kid will be this cute! And as always, I would love to hear your ideas and concerns.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Next week I will be in Washington visiting my family and I don't know how much time I will have to write so please be patient with me. Also, after reading last chapters reviews I finally made a decision on who to write about. Hope you enjoy and keep the reviews coming!**

Booth stood in line in the Cairo International Airport waiting to board his plane. He could sense the stares from the other passengers. He couldn't wait to finally be able to wear civilian clothes again whenever he wanted. After a year of living in Afghanistan and having to wear a uniform every day he longed for the days when he could just throw on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

_Heck I'd even wear one of those damn monkey suites rather than this uniform. _Booth grinned, he was so tired of wearing a uniform that he was even looking forward to his crazy ties and socks and "cocky" belt buckle.

He could feel the prickle of their stares boring into his back. It was like he was in a crowd were everyone was wearing white and he was wearing bright red. He wanted to turn around and confront the stares, ask them what they were staring at and make them as uncomfortable and self-concise as he was at that moment.

_God I wish Bones was here._ Booth sighed. _With her here I could just forget the stares, this past year apart, the things I've seen, the things I've done and forget the world._

Booth laughed. _She would probably confront them herself, being the honest strait forward person she is. _He smiled, picturing her turning around and demanding the stares to stop.

_But she's not here; she's not even on this side of the world anymore. We're literally on two different sides of the earth. _ Her flight had been in this very same airport. She had stood in this very same line at this very same terminal. The only difference was that she had left one day earlier.

Not too far away, Brennan sat on a stool at the Sky Bar drinking a beer and watching the planes take off and fly away over the distant lights of Cairo and into the star studded sky. Soon she too would be boarding a plane and flying away as well. Her final flight on her journey home. Sitting beside her on the bar was a bag full of souvenirs for her friends from the Pyramids of Giza.

For Angela, a painting of the pyramids at dusk with the sun sinking between them against the purple sky. For Cam, a beautiful necklace designed after one worn by Pharaoh Khufu's queen. For Hodgins, a mounted scarab beetle. For Wendell, a book about the mummies found in the tombs. For Zach, the blue prints and calculations for the constructions of the pyramids. And for Booth, a miniature figurines of the Great Sphinx to put on his desk with the rest of his keep sakes.

Brennan smiled as she reflected on her day at the pyramids. They had been absolutely breath taking, both inside and out. Since she was a world renowned Forensic Anthropologist and author, she had been given the luxury of exploring the inside tunnels and chambers of the pyramids by herself. The vastness and depth of the pyramids amazed her. The hieroglyphs on the walls telling the story of the Pharaoh and the instructions for the journey to the afterlife had been beautiful and magnificent. The burial chambers themselves had been remarkable and she had stood speechless inside them she had taken thousands of pictures and could not wait to share them with her friends.

Her watch beeped and she realized she needed to get to the terminal right away to board the plane. She knocked back the last of her beer, gathered her things and rushed out of the bar towards the terminal.

"Attention Passengers, we will now begin boarding first class passengers on to the plane. Since we had a flight cancellation yesterday, we will be boarding more first class passengers today. So it will be awhile before we start to board coach."

_Great, more rich people getting special treatment because they and others believe that if they have money they can do whatever they want. _Booth thought as he moved to return to his seat. _Heck, even Hodgins has a private jet. He and Angela are so rich they won't even fly first class._

The first class passengers were taking a long time to board so Booth got up from his seat to use the airport restroom before the ten hour flight.

Not even a minute after he left, Brennan arrived at the terminal slightly out of breath. She saw passengers boarding and approached the flight assistant and asked her when first class would board and where passengers from yesterday's flight would be seated.

"Name please?"

"Dr. Temperance Brennan,"

"Oh! Dr. Brennan! Come with me! We will seat you immediately!"

"Thank you."

Brennan followed the flight attendant past the waiting first class passengers and boarded the plane. The attendant led her past coach and first class.

"Where are we going?" Brennan asked, somewhat confused.

"You have been assigned a private cabin as an apology for your flight being cancelled yesterday."

"That's really not necessary. I don't want any special treatment just because I'm a famous Anthropologist, Author and millionaire."

"We knew you'd say that. Ever since yours and Agent Booth's partnership you've really changed. So, instead of giving you a flight on a private jet, we instead only gave you a private cabin."

"I now see the logic in your decision."

Meanwhile Booth had returned to the terminal and was finally in line to board the plane with the other coach passengers. _Next time I fly anywhere I'm either going to have Bones hook me up with a first class seat of have Hodgins let me borrow his private jet. _Booth smiled at the thought as he finally boarded the plane.

**AN: Please Review! Should they meet on the plane, airport or the coffee cart?**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Well after all the reviews from chapter four, there clearly is only one way they should meet! Hope you like it! Thanks for reviewing!**

_Kick kick kick…_

Booth's jaw clenched as the stupid little boy behind him kicked the back of his chair for the millionth time in the past three hours.

_Kick kick kick…_

_That's it._ Booth turned around and looked over the seat at the little trouble maker.

"Listen kid, I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth from the FBI and you better stop kicking my chair otherwise me and you are going to have a problem."

"What are you going to do? Tell my dad? You can't do anything to me. I'm a minor. You can't even talk to me without the presence of a parent, legal guardian or lawyer." The kid sneered, arrogance oozing out of his persona.

Booth sighed. _Great, he's a mini annoying squint._

Just then the little brat's father came back from the restroom.

"Are you responsible for this kid?"

"Who's asking?" The guy looked Booth up and down and raised his eyebrows, feigning to not be impressed with what he saw.

Booth's blood boiled. _Oh this is great, just great. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. _Booth stood, revealing his full height and muscles and stared down his nose at the guy. He reached into his breast pocket and flipped out his badge. "I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and your son is aggravating and insulting a federal agent."

The guy didn't even flinch. "Aggravating you? You're flashing your badge at me because my son is annoying you?" He laughed out loud. "Well good! That ought to teach you government people that you can't just do whatever you want. I know about the secret inner workings of the government that they don't want the public to know. Did you know that the government has a secret branch…?"

_Oh dear God no. Not another conspiracy theorist. Hodgins is enough!_

"Listen, I've had a long day and I've been away for a year in Afghanistan. I'm just trying to get home to the woman I love AND I DO NOT NEED A PARANOID CONSPIRACY THEORIST AND HIS ARROGANT KNOW-IT-ALL SON MAKING MY FINAL FLIGHT A LIVING HELL! I HAVEA GUN AND I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU KEEP TELLING ME THIS CONSPIRACY CRAP I'LL SHOOT YOU!"

By this time the entire coach cabin had fallen silent. "Sir, you're going to have to come with us." A flight attendant hesitantly approached Booth, flanked by two big and burley looking guys.

"You've got to be kidding me! I wasn't really going to shoot him! I've done the counseling from when I shot that clown. I'm cleared! I'm just minding my own business, trying to get through one last flight home and this little punk won't stop kicking me the back of my seat then has the nerve to sass me when I confront him. Then, when I tell his father, this guy starts spouting conspiracy crap at me!"

"I'm sorry Mr. Booth, but you'll still need to come with us now."

If Booth clenched his jaw anymore his teeth would shatter. "It's Special Agent Seeley Booth to you, and where are you taking me?"

"A private cabin in the back of the plane, you'll have to stay there for the rest of the flight. We'll also need to confiscate your firearms until we land."

_This is not my day. _Booth sighed as he reluctantlypassed over his issued gun from the FBI and his M4 carbine-a compact variant from the Rangers. The flight attendants eyes widened when he saw the fire power Booth was packing.

"What? I'm an FBI Agent and a Sergeant Major in the Rangers! I'm not a threat!"

"You just said you shot a clown." A nearby passenger pointed out. The flight attendants nodded in agreement.

"It wasn't a real clown! It was on top of a ice cream truck it was making… I am NOT explaining this all over again!"

"Please Agent Booth, its only company protocol. Once we get you to the cabin you'll be completely free."

Booth was seething, but his hands were tied. He knew they had these precautions and procedures and as a federal agent he has to respect that.

"Fine," Booth turned and placed his hands behind his back.

He sighed as the zip tie was latched around his wrists.

"Let's get this over with."

The flight attendant led Booth down the aisle, through the plane and to the back of the plane. Another flight attendant, who also looked more like a body guard then a flight attendant stood at the door of the private cabin. He nodded to the other attendants to leave and approached Booth.

"Now you better behave. The good Doctor is very kind to let you stay in her cabin after the scene you caused in coach. So remember your manners and keep control of your temper."

"I'll be a complete gentleman."

The guard nodded and opened the door and pushed Booth inside.

"Booth?" Bones stood with wide eyes in the middle of the cabin.

Booth's eyes lit up and a grin slowly spread across his face. "Hey Bones!"

"_Hey Bones!"_

Brennan couldn't believe it, a year apart and here was Booth being shoved into her private cabin, hand cuffed and the first thing he says is 'Hey Bones?' Like they had never been apart, that she hadn't metaphorically crushed his heart and he hadn't just been detained.

All these thoughts raced through her head in less than two seconds. "BOOTH!" She ran across the room, threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. The guard cut Booth's bounds then left the room, closing the door behind him, chuckling as he left them alone.

Booth's arms came forward and wrapped around her, holding her close. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head and whispered "I missed you too Bones."

**AN: Okay, they've met. Now what? Do they declare their love to each other and enjoy the privacy of the cabin or do they misunderstand, misinterpret and keep their thoughts to themselves as they always do and prolong the happy ending we're all dying for? Please Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Please be a little open minded with part of this chapter, I am not trying to change Brennan, I would love her as a character any way else! I just feel that if certain things were to ever happen, this would be when and how. Review, review review!**

Tears welled up over Brennan's eyes and streamed down her cheeks as she clung to Booth. He was here; alive and in one piece in her arms after a year in Afghanistan, after a year of nightmares.

They had been so clear and vivid, lifelike and real. Images flashed across her mind of the different scenarios and horrors that had plagued her thoughts and dreams for the past three hundred and sixty five days. A satellite phone call in Maluku. Someone from the government or meeting her at the reflective pool, his possessions in a box on her door step. She had woken up screaming in the middle of the night for months, terrified of the thoughts of him getting ambushed, killed in action, shot while being a hero, or being taken captive by terrorists.

It had gotten so bad she had even considered flying home early and try to get him to come home too she could see him for herself and know he was alright. Seven years ago she would have thought it was irrational to spend so much time worrying about someone when there was a job to be done but now she knew different. Over the last seven years she had really changed. Her hard shell had cracked and had been peeled away. She no tried to express and embrace her emotions rather than compartmentalize and she was no longer so afraid of love, commitment and being abandoned. And the man in her arms was the reason for a good amount of it.

Booth had shown her what true friendship and partnership was. He had proven to her time and time again he will **always **be there for her. Whether it's to save her, comfort her, protect her, support her and love her. She just hoped he was still willing to love her as he said would before they parted. She hoped with all her metaphorical heart, body and mind that he hadn't moved on as he would after that night outside the Hoover building when she had turned him down and that he still loved her as much as she now realized she loved him.

She loved him. More than she ever thought she was capable of loving someone. Heck, before Booth she hadn't even believed in love. Now she would risk everything; risk it all to be with him. Her metaphorical heart, their partnership through the FBI, no matter how much she had avoided the vulnerability of putting one's entire self in another's hands and responsibility, she would risk it all to finally experience the pure joy and happiness she knew she would only find with Booth.

"_If there is a God, please let us finally have this happiness. We've been through so much tragedy in our child hoods, have experienced some terrifying events together in our partnership. We both deserve this. Please let him still love me and be willing to have a romantic relationship with me. Please let him bot have moved on. I know I haven't believed in you and have insulted those who believe in you, including Boot. But if this works out I promise I will keep an open mind when it comes to you and other religions and will respect you the next time Booth drags me to church again. I've never asked for anything so much before in my life, please let me have this." _Brennan pleaded as she sent out her silent and desperate prayer. Her grip around Booth's neck tightening as she repeated over and over again in her head; "Please let him love me, please let him love me!"

Booth's arms tightened around her waist in response, trying to pull her even closer to him as if that was even possible. The way he was holding her at that moment they would have to break the laws of physics to be closer. He could feel her tears and knew she was crying. The shock of her response to seeing him and her showing just how much she had missed him had almost worn off. Now as he held her while she cried into his chest put him into shock again.

He could count on one hand the number of times she'd let him see her cry. "She never ceases to surprise me." He thought to himself as he held her close. He moved one of his hands from around her waist and up her back and began slowly rubbing circles into it. He reached up with the other to stroke her hair. "Shhh… it's okay, it's okay…. I'm here, I'm right here."

She let out a sob and he kissed the top of her head. "Hey, what's wrong Bones? I'm here, we're finally together and all is right in the world. Why are you crying? Don't tell me you've gotten soft on me!"

Brennan couldn't help but laugh, Booth always what to say when she was upset. She pulled back slightly from their embrace and looked up at him, drawing strength from the caring warm brown eyes staring back at her full of concern for her. She took a deep breath; this was it, the moment seven years in the making, the moment when she risked it all and put herself out in the open, weak and vulnerable. The moment when she finally told him her true feelings for him.

"Booth?"

He could tell by her shaky voice and the way the bit her bottom lip that what she was about to say to him next was making her nervous and could possibly change everything. Because whatever could scare the strong, independent Dr. Temperance Brennan, scared him any day. He held in his breath, expecting the worse; she'd met someone else, she was finished with working with murder, she was going off somewhere else, anything but the next three words that came out of her mouth.

"I love you." She whispered.

And with that the whole world seemed to both come to a standstill and shake as if a thousand earthquakes were plaguing the earth at ounce. Booth could feel the vibrations penetrating his body deep down to his bones, to his soul. The world was crumbling around him, but all he could care about was that the woman he loved was in his arms and that she had just told him the three words he'd been dying to hear her say for years. Because he had meant what he'd said in front of the Hoover building last year; he had known. From the moment he'd met her he'd known. He'd known she would be the person he'd spend the rest of his life with. The woman he'd settle down with and raise a family with. The best friend and lover he'd grow old with. And now, finally, after seven years, she knew too.

THE END

**AN: Yes, sadly this story is at a close. But do not worry! I have every intention to write more stories in the future! And soon! But I feel this is where I wanted this first story to go and I couldn't be happier with the way it did and how much you guys liked it. Thank you so, so, SO much for all the reviews and encouragements. I look forward to sharing more stories with you and perhaps reading your stories for a change! **


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